IHK doctor, Arua hospital records officer go missing

A medical doctor at International Hospital Kampala, IHK and a records officer for Arua regional referral hospital have gone missing for days and are now feared abducted.

Dr Catherine Agaba disappeared on April 13, 2019 after she reportedly asked for annual leave from her workstation- IHK. Since then, she has not been cited anywhere. Several distress messages have been circulating on the social media to trace her, but have so far yielded nothing.
“The entire staff of International Hospital Kampala would like to inform the public that one of their colleagues; Dr. Catherine Agaba was reported missing on 13th April, 2019. Dr Catherine is working with the hospital as a Medical Officer,” a distress message from IHK reads in part.”

The management of the hospital said in a statement issued on Thursday (yesterday) that Dr Agaba applied for leave on 9th April 2019 and since then she has not been seen anywhere. They have appealed to anyone with information to contact the hospital management.
“Our last contact with her was on Tuesday 9th April when she applied for annual leave. We appeal to anyone who has any useful information regarding her disappearance or whereabouts to report to the IHK Human Resource Office or nearest police station. We continue to stand with and pray for her and her family during this trying moment...” the IHK statement reads.

The family also put out a social media post informing the public about their missing relative, but have not received any feedback on her whereabouts.
Police Spokespersons Mr Fred Enanga said on Friday that “efforts are in place” to help the families trace their missing relatives.
“You know it’s not a direct case with glaring leads. We are using an intelligence approach to find the missing people,” Mr Enanga said.

In a related development, a staff of Arua Regional Referral Hospital records department was on Wednesday evening reportedly abducted by unknown gunmen near her home in Oli Division, Arua Municipality.
Ms Atim Jamila Asha, was reportedly abducted at around 9pm near Smash roundabout in River Oli Division after parking her car at Kamure Park. Her home is opposite Kamure Park in Obolokofuku West cell, Tanganyika Ward in River Oli Division in Arua Municipality.

A social media post by Fadhil Lemeriga, the Arua district Democratic Party chairperson says “the victim was waylaid by seven men with two wielding AK 47 rifles on Adumi road and pushed into a car with tinted glass and drove off at breakneck speed towards Onduparaka trading centre up to Odramacaku border post and returned to Arua town via the same route in order to confuse the masses.”
He, in his post Lemeriga said Jamila’s whereabouts remain unknown and that the family is still following the issue.
“The public is therefore asked to avail any clues leading to whereabouts so that a rescue can be done.

The nearest LC1 or Police Post should be informed in earnest. The family would be grateful for any assistance extended in this regard.”
Ms Josephine Angucia, the West Nile Region Police Spokesperson said: “The case of suspected abduction was reported to Arua Central Police Station and investigations have commenced. So far we have not got any clues, but we are following up the Issue. We cannot disclose everything we know at this moment, but our security forces at the border lines are all alert and when we get any credible information, we shall act.”

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